No Matter the Cost
by IlanaNight
Summary: Beyond will do anything for L, after all, L is his brother. What happens when Beyond learns of Kira's plot to kill L?
1. Bitter Loneliness

The Darkness After Light

**A/N I'm just attempting a Death Note Fanfic, so my characters may be a little OOC, but I'm trying to keep them as in character as possible. **

**Beyond: You better not make me all soft! *brandishes knife***

**Me: Of course not, I would never! *cowers in fear***

**Light: Wait, does the title say what I think it does?**

**Beyond: Yes Light, it says exactly what you think it does. Mwahahahaha! But, don't fret, you're safe in this chapter.**

**Light: Really? Yes! I don't get harmed in this chapter!**

**Me: Ok, ok, stop! The two of you are going to spoil the story!**

**Warning: This story contains EXTREMELY graphic violence and torture. While this chapter does not contain large amounts blood and gore, later chapters will, so don't start reading this story if you don't want to read the horror later.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Death Note and all characters included therein. That is why this site is called FANfiction. And, if I did own Death Note, the following story would be included, with illustrations, so be glad that I don't own it.**

**Read and Review! Or else Beyond will come after you next!**

L suddenly looked up from the screen of his laptop, the email that was open on-screen read:

_Dear_ _L,_

_Greetings, L, or should I call you Ryuzaki? How has the Kira Case been? I hope it is as intriguing as my case was, but then again, I hope it isn't, because then there is a risk of you getting severely injured, and contrary to popular belief, I don't want that. Sorry for the sentimentality. I have nothing to do but worry, about a lot of things. That's the one thing I miss about my past life as a serial killer, back then, there was no time for worrying, my mind was filled. Now, there is nothing to occupy my mind, so all I do is worry. I HATE IT! Well, at least now I know why you never stay here at Wammy's. You would probably go insane out of boredom. That's how we feel, we being your successors and I. Near, Mello, and Matt are more accepting of me now. I guess they have finally realized that I'm not going to mindlessly slaughter everyone. Well, I might, but I most likely won't. I'm not _that_ bored yet. Anyway, I was wondering if you had any cases you would like me to work on for you while you work on the Kira case? I might as well be useful, right? Well, if you do happen to have any cases, just send them my way._

_Best wishes on solving the Kira Case,_

_Beyond Birthday (B)_

L had smiled when he first read this. Trust Beyond to get bored in a place full of things that would keep most people occupied for years. Of course, Beyond definitely didn't fit into the category of "most people". He had his own category. The ex-serial killer was one-of-a-kind. Despite everything Beyond had done to taunt L, the strange young man still thought of L as his older brother.

*Flashback*

Soon after being apprehended, Beyond had been put into psychiatry in an attempt to bring out his old personality. The psychiatrists discovered a lot about Beyond, since he seemed perfectly happy to tell them about himself. Slowly, the psychotic glow in Beyond's red eyes had faded. L noticed the change and was happy, until the day when depression took it's place. It had happened about a year after his arrest and placement in the psyche ward at Wammy's House. Up until that point, Beyond had seemed to be returning to the state he had been in prior to his good friend, A's death so many years ago. In fact, the psychiatrists had been preparing the paperwork for him to be released back to Wammy's House.

Then, one day, L came to visit the young man. He unlocked the door to Beyond's suite and was surprised to find that Beyond was not in his usual chair by the window in the front room. That was where L could always find Beyond, no matter what time it was, as Beyond was a chronic insomniac. When asked why he liked to sit there, Beyond had merely said, "Well, nii-san, if you were kept in a rather blank room for as long as I have been, wouldn't you want to look out into the world and see the color and life. I sit here and stare out the window because I long for what is just beyond that glass. So close, it seems I can touch it, and yet I reach out and find that I can't." That answer had struck a nerve in L, because he knew exactly how Beyond felt. He had felt like that during his childhood, when he had been privately tutored and kept a secret. After all, no one could be allowed to know the true identity of the great detective, L.

L had continued into the kitchen, guessing that Beyond had gone to get a jar of strawberry jam. If there was one thing Beyond couldn't live without, it was strawberry jam. The man ate it like L ate sweets, and that was saying something. Once again, Beyond was nowhere to be found, but L thought he heard noise coming from Beyond's bedroom. It sounded like sobs and soft screams. L quickly ran to the bedroom door and threw it open. He was more than a little scared at what he found.

Beyond was curled up on the floor, cuts and bruises covering his arms and torso, which were bare. He was clutching what appeared to be the spoke from a belt buckle in his right hand. It was covered in blood, which, considering Beyond's appearance, was all his own. The cuts were bleeding profusely and while Beyond was still currently conscious, he certainly wouldn't stay that way for long with his injuries.

L rushed over and pulled the sharpened spoke out of Beyond's hand. It was easy, Beyond's grip was loose and his hand covered in his own blood. L then picked up the young man and started running for the door, yelling for help. Beyond continued to sob quietly. L took the time while he waited for the psyche ward staff to arrive to examine Beyond a little closer. Most of the cuts had penetrated veins or arteries, which was why the cuts still bled profusely. It seemed as those Beyond had wanted to die. Just as that thought entered his mind, the physicians arrived and took Beyond's now unconscious form on a gurney, rushing him off to the on-site hospital.

It had taken three weeks for Beyond to be physically healthy enough to leave the hospital and even then he wasn't considered mentally stable enough to do so. He wouldn't speak, not even to the nurses who came in every hour to check on him. Beyond had to be force-fed anything, including the strawberry jam he loved so much. L was worried and wondered what could have caused this sudden change. Well, he wondered until he came to visit Beyond while the young man was sleeping. Beyond hardly ever slept and from how he tossed and turned in his sleep, L could guess why. It was obvious that Beyond was plagued by nightmares.

After about an hour of watching Beyond sleep fitfully, L prepared to leave. Then he heard Beyond murmur quietly, "A, I'm sorry. I know that you are lonely, but I can't come to visit you. I tried, I tried many times, but every time someone or something stops me. Why don't you come here and visit me, Archer? I'm sure you would like it here. They aren't as controlling now, because L has other successors, a lot of them in fact. We wouldn't be pressured like we were before. Just, please, come back, Archer. My friend, I want to play games with you, and make fun of L like we used to. But you are so far away, and getting farther every day, I'm loosing you." Beyond's words faded out into quiet sobs and L finally understood all of Beyond's past deeds.

Beyond and Archer had been close friends and constant rivals. The two were L's chosen successors and often argued over who would be the better detective when they got the chance. They were brothers in every way but blood and nothing could pull the tow apart. Nothing that is, until A had committed suicide. It was sudden and there was no explanation for it. Beyond had run away shortly after that.

Now, L understood. Archer was the only person Beyond had ever trusted enough to get to know and he had left Beyond behind. Beyond felt betrayed and alone, and apparently believed that by killing people he would be closer to the realm of death, where Archer now roamed, free of cares and without him. It didn't truly make sense to L, but he could see it from Beyond's perspective. Beyond had always had a connection with the realm of death, made obvious by looking into the blood-red shinigami eyesthat were one of the few differences in appearance between L and Beyond. Beyond first became an insomniac early in life, when he woke up screaming about dead people talking to him in his dreams. After a while, the dreams stopped, because Beyond stopped sleeping and no amount of sleeping pills could knock him out. But then, the spirit voices interpreted themselves into visions of death and destruction, always with someone calling out to him for help, which he could never provide. That had been a scary time in Beyond's life. Thankfully, soon after these episodes began to fade. Beyond began interacting with others, namely Archer, and the visions stopped altogether. However, Beyond still hardly ever slept.

Of course, L had Beyond closely monitored, in case the visions should return, but ever since he had befriended Archer, Beyond seemed like a different person. Happier, more open. Then, Archer committed suicide, and L guessed that Beyond's past came back to haunt him, only this time, it was welcome. Beyond must have had visions of Archer, most likely quite often from what he had said earlier. These were probably the only form of contact Beyond had with anyone who wasn't one of his victims, and now that Beyond was being treated again and forming relationships, Archer was no longer appearing. Beyond was suffering withdrawal symptoms, he had become used to Archer's spirit's presence and now it was gone.

L knew just how he could fix this problem. He would fill the void in Beyond's life where Archer should be. He, L, would become Beyond's friend, no matter what it took.

L had done just that. After Beyond had begun showing signs of mental recovery, L had taken Beyond for a walk, giving him a tour of the grounds at Wammy's House. Beyond had been amazed and walked with a spring in his step. And, to L's great surprise, he even started singing, just a low melody with no lyrics. L laughed in utter joy at seeing his friend so happy and Beyond joined in, soon the two were on the ground, chuckling uncontrollably.

After that, L made sure to take Beyond out somewhere at least once a week. These times were beneficial for both of them. Beyond got the affection and friendship he had been craving for years and L got the chance to speak to someone at his level of intelligence. The two were soon fast friends.

After about three months of this, Beyond was given complete freedom. He used this freedom to spend even more time with L, often helping him solve cases. It was the best time of L's life, and probably Beyond's too.

*End of Flashback*

That had continued until L had left to work on the Kira Case. He hadn't seen Beyond since, and it seemed like his friend was missing him, even if Beyond didn't mention it. L suddenly had an idea. "Watari, arrange for a flight from Wammy's House to here for sometime next week."

Watari looked astonished ant the seemingly random request. "And who will the plane be carrying, Ryuzaki?" Watari asked politely.

"Beyond, Mello, Matt, and Near, the four of them need a challenge and I could use their help," L stated

"Alright Ryuzaki, I shall begin preparations immediately."

"Thank you, Watari, I appreciate it," L turned back to the email still open on his laptop and began composing a reply, informing Beyond of the plane that would be taking he, Mello, Matt, and Near to Japan

To Be Continued

**A/N Well, did you like it? Sorry if it was very angst, but I had to give some background on Beyond before we got to the dark current times. Please review, I want to know what can be changed/fixed in my character plots before the plot thickens. **


	2. Anticipation

**A/N: So, since no one reviewed saying that my characters were too OOC, they stay as they are currently. I would like to dedicate this chapter to a friend of mine, Bianka. It was her birthday on July 16****th**** and she loves it when I update my Fanfictions. I suppose she is sort of like a beta for my stories, so I updated as a belated birthday gift to her. So, everyone wish Bianka a happy birthday, because her birthday is the reason you get an earlier update than what I had previously planned. **

**Warnings: Nothing but a progressing plot. No violence in this chapter.**

**Disclaimer: FANfiction….enough said.**

**Please Read and Review, reviews make me very happy.**

The Darkness After Light

Beyond smiled as he read the email he had just opened. It was short and simple, exactly like L.

_Dear Beyond,_

_I do believe I could use your help, but not alone, and not on a different case. I want you, Near, Mello, and Matt to come and assist me on the Kira Case on-site in Japan. I've had Watari arrange for a jet to pick you up in three days. Get packing, and make sure Mello is ready in time. You know how he can get at times. See you when you arrive._

_Sincerely,_

_Ryuzaki (L)_

Beyond was certain that his face looked similar to that of a child on Christmas morning. He couldn't believe it, L was actually asking them to help on the Kira Case! This was way more then what he had ever hoped for. Not only would he be able to help L, he would be able to work with L in person. Beyond felt the worry that had been clouding his soul fade away. After all, nothing could happen to L while Beyond was there. His shinigami eyes and connection to the Realm of the Dead would ensure that. If anyone made an attempt on L's life, Beyond would know before it happened.

Beyond began to chuckle. Heaven help whoever made that mistake. They would be subject to Beyond's long-suppressed sadistic tendencies. L was the only one who held Beyond in the realm of life. Even when Beyond had given into the darkness inside of him, L had always been the beacon of guidance to lead him back. L was the son of the Realm of the Living, and Beyond the son of the Realm of the Dead, the two were gifts to the people of Earth. Beyond didn't consider himself a gift though, rather he thought that L was the gift and he was the curse to counteract it.

L had very high intelligence and could, to a degree, read the thoughts of those around him, if he concentrated hard enough. This made it very hard to lie to him. L also had the ability to find a spark of light in every person he met and kindle that spark into a warm flame. That was his purpose, to bring the light of life to the world.

Beyond had gifts of a different sort. He had his shinigami eyes, which allowed him to see everyone's name and lifespan. He also had a pair of red, feathered wings that he usually kept hidden. Beyond also had a very special connection with the spirits of the dead. He would occasionally see the spirits, and they usually had messages to pass on or lessons to teach. These sightings varied in strength and occurrence according to Beyond's own mood and perceptions of the world and who he happened to be near at the time. If there was someone in his presence mourning the death of a loved one, chances were that he would see said loved one. The spirit then usually requested that Beyond pass on their love to their loved ones, and that was where the supernatural really took control. The spirit would walk into Beyond's body, almost possessing him, but not completely doing so. Then, Beyond would walk over to the loved one and just brush them with his hand and they would feel the love of the one they had lost and the spirit would depart. That was Beyond's purpose, to connect the people of Earth with the spirits of the dead.

The two twins had been orphaned at a young age and brought to Wammy's House, an orphanage for highly gifted children. Once there, the founder of Wammy's House, Watari, thoroughly examined them and discovered their gifts. It was at that time that their training began. The training to be forces to change the world. L was at the top of that list with his mental capabilities. Beyond was shunted off to the side most of the time, because what use was there for a boy who could talk to the spirits of the dead? Despite the fact that he was pushed back, Beyond was still happy to be receiving training. After all, he wanted to see the world change, and he wanted to be a part of it.

Beyond shook himself out of his reminiscence. He had to go tell Near, Mello, and Matt to start packing. He got up from his seat in front of his laptop and walked up the staircase, listening for the sound of Mello's voice, it was usually the easiest to hear of the three. He followed the sound to Near's room, where he found Mello yelling at Near, who was building a castle out of blocks on the floor. Matt was there as well, playing some video game on his DS and blocking out Mello's loud voice using his earphones. Beyond sighed and cupped his hands around his mouth.

"HEY! MELLO! KINDLY SHUT UP FOR A MINUTE SO I CAN GIVE YOU ALL SOME NEWS!" Beyond yelled. Mello stopped talking out of shock at the loud noise, Matt took out his headphones and Beyond continued speaking, significantly softer. "L has requested out presence in Japan, to help with the Kira Case. A plane shall arrive here in three days to take us there. I suggest you start getting ready." He left before any of L's successors could begin talking.

As Beyond walked down the vaulted hallway, he could hear Mello and Near discussing what to pack, occasionally asking Matt for his opinion. From the full answers they were getting it seemed that for once, Matt had shut off his DS. Beyond smirked at that, Matt was never seen without his DS, in fact, there was a rumour going around saying that Matt's DS was really his lifeline and that without it he would die. Beyond knew the falsity of that assumption. Matt's life was like most humans', it wasn't attached to any outlying factors.

Beyond let his feet lead him to his room, the route having been memorized long ago. He still lived in the same suite that he had occupied prior to his insubordination all those years ago, and the décor was still the same, with a few additions. The front room was a sitting room, complete with a coffee table, high-definition television, and black leather couch. He spent quite a bit of time in here, typing away on his laptop, for Beyond liked to write, just short stories and accounts of the daily goings-on at Wammy's House. Beyond walked through the doorway into his bedroom, flicking on the overhead light. He had a queen-sized four poster bed with a black wood frame and a red and black silk bedspread, made perfectly, seeing as he hardly ever used the bed. Insomnia was another one of he and L's attributes, neither of the two got much sleep. There was a mahogany desk against one wall, with the matching chair pushed in. Various papers were scattered on the desk's surface, along with several glass pens and ink of various colors, as Beyond preferred old-style writing methods to modern ones.

Also on top of the desk were several pictures in ornate frames. These were the newest additions to his room. The first was a picture of he, Near, Mello, and Matt surrounded by wrapping paper and various items. Linda had taken that picture with her new camera on Christmas morning and given them each a copy after she had Roger get them developed. Beyond had framed it because it was proof that he was more than just an insane serial killer. The next was a picture L had taken as a prank. It showed Beyond with his forefinger in his mouth, focused on the book in front of him, with two more books on top of his head. Beyond had framed it because it showed L's playful side, which he rarely revealed. The final picture was Beyond's personal favorite. It depicted he and L, sitting back to back in the way that no one else could ever mimic, both of them looking towards the camera but not exactly at it. Beyond loved this photo because it showed the similarities he and L shared, rather than the differences that were all anyone ever noticed.

Another wall of his room consisted of a huge window, similar to the one in his front room, and he had a chair in front of both of the wall-sized windows so that he could watch the sun rise and set.. A dresser stood on the right of the door, filled mostly with long-sleeved black shirts and blue jeans, although there were a few articles of other clothing, such as the midnight blue dress shirt Linda had bought for him to wear to formal parties. There were also several long-sleeved white shirts from when he had taken up acting as L. He also had a box of dark brown contacts that he used when acting as L, since his red eyes would give him away.

Beyond walked over to the closet next to his bed and pulled out a suitcase, beginning to pack. He packed seven sets of clothes, he usually did his laundry once a week. Just as he was about to zip up the suitcase, an idea struck him and he smirked at the deviousness of it. He walked over to his desk and sat down in front of his Macbook Air, opening the laptop and typing in his password. He then proceeded to open AIM and was unsurprised to see L online, the man was always working on his laptop. He sent L a quick message:

**Beyond: Hey, Ryuzaki**

**Ryuzaki: Hello, Beyond**

**Beyond: You know approximately what time our flight is arriving, correct?**

**Ryuzaki: Yes, I do, why?**

**Beyond: I was wondering if you could make sure that you aren't with the taskforce when we arrive.**

**Ryuzaki: Why?**

**Beyond: I want to see if your task force really knows you.**

**Ryuzaki: Oh, I see. You wish to test their ability to differentiate people based on minor character traits.**

**Beyond: Yes, after all, they should be trained in such.**

**Ryuzaki: Alright, I'll be sure to be in my room when you arrive, but won't Near, Mello, and Matt give it away?**

**Beyond: No, I'll fill them in, and you know the three of them will all be happy to help test the abilities of others.**

**Ryuzaki: True, alright, count me in. Oh, and when you are done with your test, text me so that I know to come down and make my announcement. Since, I'm certain that none of them will notice the difference.**

**Beyond: Alright then, thanks Ryuzaki.**

**Ryuzaki: No problem, see you in a few days.**

**Beyond: Bye.**

Beyond closed the window and then his laptop, walking back over to his suitcase, zipping it closed. He then went over to his closet again and brought out a book bag with a Cloister font B embroidered in red on the front. It had been a birthday present from L. He walked over to the dresser and removed one of his long sleeved white shirts and another pair of jeans, also grabbing his contacts and placed them all in the book bag, which he would be using as his carry-on. There, he was finished packing, even if he still had to wait for the plane to arrive. Beyond walked over to the window, sat down in his chair and watched the sky darken as the sun set over England.

The next day, Beyond went to visit Mello, Near, and Matt, all of whom were in their rooms packing. He told them his plan for testing the task force and the three successors were quick to agree. They loved the chance to show anyone up, plus they would get to spend some time with L while Beyond had his fun. Once the plan was agreed on, Beyond helped the three teens pack. Near didn't need much help, all he owned was sets of white pajamas. Matt just packed several striped shirts and pairs of jeans and, on Beyond's recommendation, a pair of shorts and a couple gaming tees. Mello needed the most help. He had a lot of leather to choose from and in the end, Beyond just took handfuls of clothes and put them into Mello's suitcase, making sure to pack enough for Mello's narcissistic tendencies.

By the time they were all done packing it was well past five in the afternoon and dinner was nigh, so they headed to the dining hall and sat in their assigned seats, which happened to be right next to and across from each other. Mello sat next to Matt and across from Beyond, who sat next to Near. Dinner was uneventful and the four went up to an empty foyer to pass the time. They exchanged stories and played games until midnight, when Near started to nod off and Beyond carried him up to his room. Beyond then walked to his own room and sat at his desk, opening his laptop and opened the Word Processor, typing out a log of the stories they had shared earlier.

The next day was spent in a fury off time-killing. The four took a walk around the entirety of Wammy's House and played a two-on-two soccer rally. Unsurprisingly, Beyond and Near won. Near was a smart defender and more nimble than both Mello and Matt, so it was hard to keep the ball once he started attempting to steal it, Beyond was a very aggressive player and would fight his way to the goal. The two made a good team because the total opposite strategies they applied threw the opponent off. By the time their soccer championship was over, the sun had already begun to set and the moon rise. They had eaten during a break between games, so there was no need to prepare a late dinner. Instead, they all went up to bed, the plane would be waiting for them bright and early the next morning. Beyond forwent his usual night routine of sitting at the window and watching the sky while he typed and took a dose of the insomnia medication he rarely used. The medication took effect almost immediately and Beyond began to feel drowsy. He slipped under the covers, curled up into a tight ball and drifted off to sleep.

To be continued…

**A/N Does anyone happen to know what the Word Processor on a Mac is called? If you do, could you please tell me so I can edit it. Thank you.**


	3. The Time of the Game is Nigh

No Matter the Cost

**A/N: Yes, I changed the title…because I didn't really like the previous one. Also, I'm adding L to the character thing. So now it will be under BB and L, but not as a yaoi Fanfic, because in my mind they are brothers. The reason I re-titled it "No Matter the Cost" was hinted at last chapter when Beyond said something along the lines of "I won't let anyone hurt L." Also, I still haven't received any reviews saying that anyone is out of character, so I'll continue on with my characters acting as they are, with Beyond's sadistic, psychotic side coming out later.**

**Warnings: Plot progression and Matt and Mello's real names**

**Disclaimer: I will own Death Note when the current owners decide to give me the rights to it. Therefore, I will never own it.**

**Please read and review! Thank you.**

_Watch me fault her You're living like a disaster She said kill me faster With strawberry gashes all over _

Beyond Birthday woke up to the strange song that acted as the alarm in his phone. He smiled and quickly got dressed. Today they would leave on a flight to Japan, a flight to L! He checked the his phone for the time. It read 6:00 am. Their plane was scheduled to leave at 7:30 am, and in any normal case, the four would have had to be at the airport by now. However, since this was no normal case, a private jet was going to take them to Japan straight from Wammy's House.

Beyond walked to the kitchen and grabbed a jar of jam out of the refrigerator, which he swiftly began to devour as he walked back upstairs to rouse the teenage successors. He stopped by Matt's room first and took his DS off the bedside table. Beyond turned it on, made sure the music was on high, and clicked the section of the home screen that read: " Legend of Zelda Phantom Hourglass. The theme music soon began to play at full blast and Beyond smirked and turned around, walking towards the door. All of sudden Matt sprung up yelling, "GIVE ME BACK MY DS! I SWEAR I'LL KILL WHOEVER ISS TRYING TO STEAL IT!"

Beyond chuckled and walked back to Matt, handing him his DS, "Good morning to you too, Mail.

"BEYOND! Never do that again, it freaked me out. I thought someone had actually tried to steal my DS. You know I need that!" Matt fumed.

"Well, take this into account, if I had actually intended to steal it, I obviously wouldn't have turned it on where you could still hear it." Beyond stated with a smirk.

"Yeah, whatever. I'm awake. Let me just pack a carry-on." Matt then proceeded to place two Game Boy Advance SP's, A Nintendo DS Lite, a PlayStationPortable, a DSi, and an iTouch into a backpack. Matt shouldered the backpack and walked past Beyond and out the door.

Beyond sighed and walked into Near's room, unsurprised to find the young albino boy already awake. Matt's outburst had been quite loud and Near was a light sleeper. Near smiled at Beyond and grabbed a few robots off the floor of his room, putting them in a plain white bag, apparently his carry-on. He walked up to Beyond and smiled more prominently, "Good morning, Beyond. Good luck waking up Mello."

"Thanks, I'll need that and more." Beyond replied with an exasperated sigh. He walked across the hall to Mello's room, turning the doorknob. He would definitely need to go back to the kitchen and get his jam after this. He walked over to the soundly sleeping blonde and poked him. Mello didn't even stir. "Mello, wake up. Mello! MELLO!" Beyond hollered and still Mello didn't stir.

Beyond looked around and saw an unopened chocolate bar on the desk. He walked to the desk, took the chocolate and walked back to Mello's bed. Beyond began to slowly unwrap the bar, being sure to make as much noise as possible. When Mello still didn't wake, Beyond decided to take it a step further. He put the corner of the chocolate bar in his mouth and, with a flick of his hand, broke off a chunk with a loud _snap._ Mello immediately sat up and yanked the chocolate out of Beyond's hand. "MINE!" Mello yelled, pushing Beyond away from him.

"Yes, I know it is, Mihael, but that was the only way to wake you up." Beyond checked the clock on his phone again, "Our flight leaves in forty-five minutes, I suggest you make sure you're ready." Mello glared at Beyond, took a bite of his chocolate and began to throw handfuls of chocolate into a black leather bag. Beyond left the room, walked back to the kitchen, grabbed his jam, and went back up to his room.

He slung his book bag over his shoulder and grabbed his suitcase. Beyond then left the room, making sure to close the door to his bedroom and the door to his suite. He liked to keep everything closed and locked whenever he left the house. It was another habit from his not-so-bright times after Archer's death. It was almost time, and Beyond wanted to get situated on the plane before take-off.

Beyond walked down the hall to find Matt, Mello, and Near in the hallway, ready to go. The four walked down the stairs, through the front room and out the door, taking a right and walking over to the private air strip. The plane was already there, ready for take-off. They walked up the steps and onto the jet that consisted of only first class seats.

Matt walked over to a seat in the far back of the plane, where a portable electrical outlet was located. Knowing Matt, he would probably need to charge at least two of his devices during the twelve hour flight. Mello walked over and took a seat across from Matt, snapping off a bite of chocolate as he did so. Near completely ignored the chairs and made himself comfortable on the floor. Beyond sat in a seat towards the middle of a plane and next to a window. He wanted to be able to see everything.

"_Twelve hours on a plane with Mello is far too long," _Beyond thought to himself as they exited the jet at the airport in Tokyo, Japan. It was a little after 3:30 in the morning here in Japan, yet Watari was already waiting with a limo in the pick-up area of the airport. He would be taking them to headquarters, where they would spend the night. Beyond would enter in the morning as "L" and the others would come down with L after Beyond played his game.

It took only ten minutes to reach the headquarters. Beyond grabbed his suitcase and carry-on. He had forgotten about the time difference, there had been no need to change on the plane. He also grabbed Near's suitcase, as it was rather heavy. Near smiled and thanked him, proceeding to walk through the doors. Mello grabbed his belongings and raced after Near, shouting something about being the first one to L's room. Matt just sighed, and began to walk into the building as well. Surprisingly, all of his electronic devices were back in their bag. Beyond followed behind them, taking time to look at the décor. _"Wow, L put a lot into this, but it does fit his…different tastes." _Beyond thought to himself as he entered the elevator with the others, murmuring a "Thanks." to Matt, who had held the door open.

The elevator took them up to the 25th floor, where, following Watari's instructions, they knocked on the second door on the left. A voice from inside stated in a monotone, "Come in, the door is unlocked." So the four did so, Mello making sure to be in front of everyone else. When they saw the detective, all four of them called out "L!" and walked swiftly over to him. Beyond simply jumped up and sat on L's bed as if it was habit, Near sat on the floor next to L, and Mello and Matt both pulled chairs over to L's bedside. L looked almost confused by their sudden approach until Beyond reached over and ruffled his hair.

"Hey, nii-san, going to say hello or just stare?" Beyond asked.

L shook himself, smirked, and said, "Hello Near, Mello, Matt, Beyond. I assume your flight was painless?"

"More or less." Beyond said, "You know how airplanes can get. Turbulence and such,"

L nodded, "Well, make yourselves at home in the surrounding rooms. They are labeled with your names on pieces of paper, because I had them decorated accordingly. Inside you will each find a phone with my number, Watari's, and the rest of the task force's. This is the phone you will be using from now on, as it is untraceable. I'll talk to you more tomorrow. Good night."

The four went into their designated rooms to find that they were decorated almost identically to their rooms back at Wammy's House. Mello, Matt, and Near went straight to sleep, having not slept on the plane. Beyond, on the other hand, stayed awake, refining his abilities and preparing for his test. The anticipation sent shivers down his spine. He couldn't wait. This game would be quite fun.

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed Chapter 3. I know it's short, but I'm spending more time on the test. However, this needed to be in there, since I don't like to write time jumps. Anyway, thanks for reading.**


	4. Are You Ready for Some Fun?

No Matter the Cost

**A/N . Sorry for the extremely late update, I was busy cosplaying and doing school-related stuff. But, I realized that I was probably upsetting a lot of people, so I wrote this. A big thank you to everyone who reviewed. I love you all so much 3**

**Disclaimer: If I owned Death Note, L would never have died.**

**Warning: Beyond acting as L and having way too much fun. Not much. An argument in the beginning, no violence, just angsty Beyond.**

**A/N And now, Chapter 4, enjoy!**

The clock by his bedside read 6:00. The taskforce usually arrived around 6:30 and L was always already seated in front of his computer. Beyond walked out the door and down the hall, stopping at L's door. Beyond knocked three times and opened the door without waiting for an answer. L was sitting in a chair by his bed, obviously left over from last night. He smirked at Beyond's attire. "It unnerves me to see you dressed like that, it makes me feel like I'm looking at a living mirror." L stated.

Beyond broke out laughing, "Well, there's another reason to dress like this, then. I'll jump at any chance to unnerve the great and untouchable L."

L rolled his eyes and sighed, "And here I thought you had changed, B. Yet you still seem to want to surpass me."

Beyond's eyes flashed in anger, if he hadn't been wearing brown contacts his eyes would most certainly be bright crimson. "What if that isn't why I want to unnerve you L? Have you ever thought that it's because you're my older brother and teasing you comes as second nature to me? Of course you haven't, because to you, all I am is a failure. I couldn't deal with the death of my closest friend, no, my _only_ friend, and lost my mind for a time to the shadows, so now all I am is a failed experiment. I couldn't live up to your expectations, L, and because of that, I'm no longer good enough to be a part of your family. Oh, and of course, how could I forget? L can't have a family, he can't even have friends, since that would provide a weakness." Beyond never once raised his voice, but that made it all the more heartbreaking for L.

"Beyond," L said, getting out of his chair and walking towards him, "You know that isn't true. If it were, why would I have gone through such trouble to get you back on track? I know you are my brother, and have never once been ashamed of that. I just can't express my emotions very well, and well, I don't really know how brothers are supposed to act. You lived outside of Wammy's for enough time to pick up on family relations, I didn't. Beyond, please, understand." By the end, L was pleading.

Beyond nodded, a single tear falling from his eye. He then turned on his heel and walked to the door, "Well, nii-san, time for me to go test the taskforce." Beyond turned his head and blew L a kiss, "Aishteru, Onii-chan," Beyond chuckled and exited. He checked his watch, 6:23, he still had time to get down, after all, the taskforce was never early and often late according to L.

Beyond was sitting in L's chair, eating a piece of strawberry cheesecake, and researching on L's laptop when Soichiro Yagami and his son, Light, walked in to the headquarters. B didn't bother to turn in his chair, merely murmuring a hello. Light walked over to the chair next to his and sat down.

"Good morning, Ryuzaki, anything new?" Light asked with a smile.

Beyond looked over and nearly let his jaw drop, but kept his face blank out of habit. _Kira! Moon Yagami, or as L says it's pronounced Light, is Kira. There are no numbers below that name! Kira doesn't have a lifespan. _Out loud he said, "No, Light-kun, no new evidence has been uncovered."

Light sighed and got to work, muttering to himself under his breath. Something about how he wasn't Kira. _Yeah, good luck with that. I'll have you caught in no time, Kira. For L's sake! _B turned and looked over at Matsuda.

"Matsuda-kun, would you please go and get me a jar of strawberry jam from the fridge?"

Matsuda jumped up and headed out the door. "Of course Ryuzaki-san!"

Light looked over at B with interest. "Strawberry jam? No bread? Not that I'm surprised, Ryuzaki-kun." Light smiled over at B almost flirtatiously.

B blinked slowly. "It's quite good, Light-kun, maybe you should try it sometime." _Wait, is he seriously, flirting, with me, or well, L?_

Matsuda ran in with the jam. "Here's your jam, Ryuzaki-san, I brought a spoon for you as well."

B opened the jar and stuck his hand into the jam. "There's no need for that, Matsuda-kun. I'll just eat it this way." B began to lick the jam off his fingers. _Hmm, these people really don't know the difference. I know that L would never eat any food like this, he would stack it or play with it first._

B glanced over at Light and noticed that he was staring at him. Light's face was slightly flushed and his mouth hung open "Something the matter, Light-kun?"

Light blushed and quickly turned away. "No, nothing's wrong. Thanks for asking, though."

B went back to eating jam and typing away at L's computer. _Hmmm, it's obvious that Light has some sort of, attraction to L. I wonder how that started. Oh well, L doesn't return the sentiment or he would have told me so. Henh, too bad, Light. You're missing out on something greater than you could imagine. All because of a stupid notebook._

"Ryuzaki?" A deeper male voice shook B out of his reverie. "Misa Amane is here to see Light-kun."

B looked over to see Soichiro Yagami standing over him. "Ah yes, I see. Thank you, Yagami-san. Come, Light-kun, it appears we have a date with Misa Amane."

Light sighed audibly . "Ugh, fine. I guess, since she is my 'girlfriend'"

B feigned a look of slight surprise. "You speak as if you do not like Amane-san. I was under the impression you two were in a very loving relationship."

Light shook his head. "No, she's in love with me, but I don't care for her at all. I just don't want to hurt her feelings."

B blinked. "I see. Well, leading her on won't help, but, do what you wish, Light-kun."

The two walked down the hall into the room that had been designed for 'dates'. It was simply a room with a sofa for Light and Misa and an armchair for L to sit in. Misa was already waiting on the sofa. She jumped up and pounced on Light when the two entered.

"Hi, Light-kun! Misa-Misa is so happy to see you!" The blonde model squealed. She then looked over at Beyond. "Ryuzaki changed his hair! It's parted a different way today! Misa-Misa likes it, Ryuzaki!"

B nodded. "Yes, indeed I did, Miss Amane. And thank you, I like your hair as well."

Misa smiled. "Misa-Misa knows her hair is always pretty! Light-kun likes Misa's hair, right?" Misa looked over at Light hopefully as the trio sat down.

Light smiled falsely and nodded. "Of course I like your hair, Misa, why wouldn't I?"

B sighed as Misa began to chirp happily about how much she loved Light and how happy she was that Light liked her hair. He checked above her head, surprised to see her lifespan still there. _"So, Light hasn't given her the other notebook yet, hmm? I wonder why? But, her lifespan seems abnormally short. I wonder…"_

Two hours later, Misa's allotted time was up and the three exited, with Misa being escorted to the door by Matsuda. Light and B went back to their respective computers and got back to work.

Light's voice cut the comfortable silence. "I'm surprised Ryuzaki, you haven't eaten a single slice of cake today. Aren't you running low on fuel?"

B gave up, this was just to funny not to laugh. "Kyahahahahahahaha! If I truly were L, then surely I would be, but since I'm not…" B pressed a button on the keyboard, notifying L that he was done playing.

Light jumped up, resulting in his chair toppling over, him with it. This made B laugh even harder as the elevator bell sounded and L, Near, Matt, and Mello entered.

"Hello, everyone." L said, waving slightly. B smiled and reached up to his eyes, removing the contacts and revealing the blood red irises beneath them. "I see you're quite confused. This, is B. A former successor of mine, and as you can see, quite the look alike. I have called in my successors to help me with the Kira case, so in return for his help, he asked permission to play a little game. I allowed him to impersonate me until he gave up or someone noticed."

Light got up and smirked. "Of course… Well, I must admit, you did a good job, although I'd eat more cake next time, for effect."

B nodded through his laughter as the other successors looked around at the task force members. All of them thought the same thing.

"_This is going to be such fun."_

**A/N There you have it, Chapter 4 is done, albeit months later than I had planned it to be. I hope to update faster next time, but I have to plan out the plotline still, so, who knows. Anyway, thanks for reading and please review. Also, if anyone would like to tell me how to do a page break thing, I would be very thankful, because I really want to know how to do that...Oh! And, I'm looking for a beta if anyone wants to.**


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